BKU wants wheat MSP to be Rs 1,720
Chandigarh, February 21
Rejecting Rs 1,000 per quintal as price of wheat, the Bharti Kisan Union has urged the Centre to enhance the minimum support price to Rs 1,720 per quintal.

Govt to use vacant lands properly
PIDB made nodal agency
Chandigarh, February 21
The Punjab government has initiated a major drive to enlist vacant and
under-utilised government lands and to put them to better use and generate revenues. It has obtained information from deputy commissioners regarding lands owned by different government departments as well as other bodies.

Over 1 lakh kids in state not enrolled
in schools: Survey
Ludhiana, February 21
Punjab cannot dream of being 100 per cent literate, at least for a decade, as more than one lakh students are not getting even the elementary education. The data is official. The findings have been pointed out during a recent survey conducted by the state units of the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) to find out children who are devoid of elementary education.

Virk Case
Usage of rules discussed on Day 2
Chandigarh, February 21
It was a discussion of FIRs and the usage of rules on the second day of arguments in former DGP S.S. Virk’s case wherein he was suspended from service.

It ran from 1907 to 1927
No trace of Patiala-Sunam monorail
Sangrur, February 21
Many find it difficult to believe that in this capital (Sangrur town) of the erstwhile Jind state, more than 80 years ago, monorail from Patiala to Sunam via Bhawanigarh was used to transport goods and persons.Now no remains of the said monorail between Patiala and Sunam exist, but information available in this regard shows that monorail used to run at that time in this area.
A monorail train pulled by a steam engine on the
Patiala-Sunam section.

SAD’s Delhi Rally
SGPC managers to oversee arrangements
Amritsar, February 21
The SGPC will be geared up for the “ Insaaf rally”, of the SAD at New Delhi on February 26 . For the success of the rally the SGPC has decided to depute its senior officials, including gurdwara managers of the Golden Temple, Amritsar , Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala to make arrangements .

SAD-BJP govt indifferent to plight of farm labour:BSP
Chandigarh, February 21
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has taken serious note of the SAD-BJP government’s indifferent attitude towards ‘khet majdoors’(farm labour) in Punjab. Farm labour in the state has been facing serious crisis due to lack of opportunities to work in fields but the government is not bothered to address the problems, said Paramjit Singh Kainth, a senior BSP leader.

Nangal, birds’ holiday spot
Nangal, February 21
You could call it a birds’ paradise. Nearly 30,000 migratory birds of 25 different species are ‘holidaying’ these days in fields, swamps and marshy areas around the Nangal reservoir in Ropar district.
Blessed with verdant forests, rich flora and fauna and crystal-clear water of the reservoir, one can see an interesting kaleidoscope of insect and bird life.

Ruddy shell ducks and migratory birds take flight in the Nangal area. Photo by writer

Man fighting for life after vasectomy
Tarn Taran, February 21
Balwinder Singh, a local resident, has been fighting for his life for the past about two months after undergoing vasectomy at a government
health centre.

TB, AIDS, drug abuse linked: Doc
Sangrur, February 21
Educated youths, students and teachers can play a vital role in controlling the spread of diseases like TB and AIDS by generating awareness among the masses about various remedies to control these diseases. For this purpose, they should come forward with a missionary spirit as this is a need of the hour.

NRI historian ‘rediscovers’ Maharajas of Punjab
Chandigarh, February 21
What started as a casual interest in his Sikh lineage has become a labour of love on Sikh history for Peter
(Bhupinder) Bance, a Sikh, whose great-grandparents migrated to the UK in early 1930s. Important aspects of life of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the son of
Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his family that were hitherto unknown would have been lost to the Sikhs but for the efforts of Peter.

Peter (Bhupinder) Bance

Probe into Ferozepur roads ordered
Ferozepur, February 21
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed the director (quality& control)
PWD, to inquire into the reports regarding poor quality of work and materials used during the construction of various roads made under PMGSY
(Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna) scheme of the union government.

Missing farmer’s body found in canal
Bassi Pathanan, February 21
Body of Narinder Singh (42), a debt -ridden farmer, resident of nearby Talania village ,who had been missing from home since friday was recovered today from a canal near Sarai Banjara village near
Rajpura. After a post- mortem examination at civil hospital, the body was handed over to relatives. Relatives said it was a case of not living within means and tension led to taking his life.

Fake Degree
7-yr wait for probe
Record from school, DEO office missing
Ropar, February 21
The apathetic attitude of the Department of Education towards teachers recruited against fake degrees is delaying inquiries and the teachers allegedly got recruited on the basis of fake degrees are enjoying perks not deserved for years.

Casteist remarks
PSHRC tells Guru Nanak varsity to probe
Amritsar, February 21
The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has directed Guru Nanak Dev (GND)University authorities to look into the complaint a woman programmer against head of the department (HoD) for casteist remarks.

Taming Travel Agents
LBP chief for 20-yr jail, Rs 25-lakh fine
Sangrur, February 21
Terming the move on an enactment by the Punjab government against illegal travel business to save people from loot by unscrupulous travel agents as major victory of his party, president of the Lok Bhalai Party
(LBP) Balwant Singh Ramoowalia today said some clauses in the draft document (Bill) were insufficient to award harsh punishment to the travel agents, looting people in the name of sending abroad.